Soccer-Chile team for Copa America

SANTIAGO, June 6 (Reuters) - Profile of the Chile team for the Copa America: Previous appearances: 36 (first in 1916) Best performance: runners-up 4 times - 1955, 1956, 1979, 1987 Drawn in Group A with Bolivia, Ecuador and Mexico - - - - Coach Jorge Sampaoli: Argentine Sampaoli is described by those close to him as a workaholic who leaves no detail to chance and tries to get the utmost from his players. "I see football as war. I spend all the time looking to see who's going to find me out. That doesn't happen to other coaches but it does to me and it keeps me on my toes," the 55-year-old told Chilean daily La Tercera. A disciple of fellow Argentine and former Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa, Sampaoli repeatedly says his players deserve to win something and this tournament at home is their great chance with what many believe to be the country's best generation of footballers. In his two years in charge he has given his team an all-out attacking imprint and earned praise for the vertiginous style that took them to the 2014 World Cup last 16 where they lost to hosts Brazil on penalties. He has also received criticism for a sometimes unreliable defence. - - - - Key player Alexis Sanchez: Chile are pinning their hopes of a first ever Copa America title mainly on brilliant forward Alexis Sanchez, who has had a fine first season in the English Premier League with Arsenal capped by a stunning goal in their FA Cup final victory. Sanchez is hard to pin down for rival defences with his speed of thought and skill on the ball. His role in the team is also free-roving as he operates as a striker, winger and attacking midfielder. To get the best out of himself he needs the help of the Chile midfield and notably Arturo Vidal of Juventus, who was not at his best at last year's World Cup having just recovered from knee surgery. Coach Jorge Sampaoli believes the backbone of his team will start the tournament in their best shape, Claudio Bravo in goal, Gary Medel at the back with Vidal and Jorge Valdivia in midfield, setting up the platform for Sanchez to deliver. - - - - FIFA world ranking: 19 Squad: Goalkeepers: Claudio Bravo (Barcelona), Johnny Herrera (Universidad de Chile), Paulo Garces (Colo Colo) Defenders: Gary Medel (Inter Milan), Mauricio Isla (Queens Park Rangers), Eugenio Mena (Cruzeiro), Gonzalo Jara (Mainz), Jose Rojas (Universidad de Chile), Miiko Albornoz (Hanover 96) Midfielders: Arturo Vidal (Juventus), Marcelo Diaz (Hamburg SV), Charles Aranguiz (Internacional), David Pizarro, Matias Fernandez (Fiorentina), Jorge Valdivia (Palmeiras), Carlos Carmona (Atalanta), Jean Beausejour (Colo Colo), Felipe Gutierrez (Twente Enschede), Francisco Silva (Club Bruges) Forwards: Alexis Sanchez (Arsenal), Eduardo Vargas (Queens Park Rangers), Angelo Henriquez (Dinamo Zagreb), Mauricio Pinilla (Atalanta) (Reporting by Felipe Iturrieta and Fabian Cambero; Writing by Rex Gowar, editing by Ed Osmond)